Terie Norelli, who broke ground in N.H. politics, set to retire

Wednesday

Apr 23, 2014 at 3:15 AMApr 23, 2014 at 9:07 AM

By Janice Henderson news@fosters.com

PORTSMOUTH — State Speaker of the House Terie Norelli, 61, currently in her ninth term as a representative from Portsmouth's District 26 and her second term as speaker, announced in a news conference Monday that she will not seek re-election this fall.

“After six years as Speaker and 18 years in the legislature, it is time to turn over the gavel to the next generation of leaders. I have tremendous confidence in the membership of the Democratic Caucus and believe they will hold the majority and continue to fight for the values we share,” she said.

“Now I feel that it's time for me to step back and catch my breath and give my family a break, too.”

Norelli is the second woman in the state's history and the first Democrat in 84 years to serve as Speaker of the House. Republican Donna Sytek, who served 1996-2000, was New Hampshire's first female Speaker of the House.

A native of New Jersey, Norelli holds a bachelor's degree from the University of New Hampshire and was a mathematics teacher at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton before her election to the House.

During her 18 years of service, Norelli presided over the passage of bills to legalize civil unions in 2007 and same-sex marriage in 2009. This year she has been pushing to expand Medicaid coverage in New Hampshire.

In the days leading up to the 2008 state primary election, Norelli was embroiled in controversy. She and two other Democratic Party leaders, Sens. Maggie Hassan and Katie Wheeler, signed a letter at the request of Hillary Clinton's campaign that addressed then-Sen. Barack Obama's position on abortion. The letter was sent to Clinton supporters and undecided voters in the state just two days before the primary. Clinton won that election by two percentage points after trailing by as much as 10 percent just days before.

Norelli hopes she'll be remembered for her environmental work. She said she is proud of what she has done to protect and preserve New Hampshire's great beauty, including implementing the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. She said, “Our work on these issues ensures that our scenic views, our clean air and clean water will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come and will continue to drive our state's economy.”

Norelli's decision to leave office sparked plaudits from other politicians.

Gov. Maggie Hassan said in a statement, “During her three terms as Speaker, she has worked to make the House more open and transparent while ensuring a fair process and a voice for all. Throughout her distinguished nine-term career, Speaker Norelli's unyielding commitment to the people of New Hampshire has been critical in improving the well-being of Granite State families, and I thank her for her years of dedicated service and her friendship.”

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley said, “Speaker Terie Norelli has served the New Hampshire House of Representatives with distinction during her three terms as Speaker. Since her election to the House in 1996, Terie Norelli has represented Portsmouth and all of New Hampshire with her professionalism, her sense of fairness, and her respect to the institution and members of the House speaker Norelli brought dignity to the office, which we all appreciate.”

And former New Hampshire House Democratic Leader Peter Burling said, “From the moment she entered the Legislature in 1996, Terie Norelli has demonstrated all the best qualities of a legislative leader: integrity, commitment to hard work, and a concern for the best interests to the state of New Hampshire. All of us who worked with her felt it was a privilege to do so.”

Even those on the other side of the aisle had kind words for Norelli.

House Republican Leader Gene Chandler, from Bartlett, representing Carroll County District 1, said, “Being a volunteer legislator for 18 years, and a Speaker for six of those years, involves a tremendous amount of time and commitment. Despite our disagreements on some issues, I applaud the Speaker for her dedication to public service and to her constituents. We wish her well in her future endeavors.”

And New Hampshire Republican State Committee Chairman Jennifer Horn was quoted in a statement that, “Republicans disagree with Speaker Norelli on virtually every major policy issue, but we thank her for her years of service to the State of New Hampshire and wish her the best of luck in the future.”